What type of tree is used to make bows?

Answer 1

I'm by no means a proffessional bowyer, in fact I'm hardly a bowyer at all. But I do enjoy self-made bows quite a bit and take a lot of fun from trying to make my own.

There are quite a few trees that can be used to make bows, some more suited than others depending on the design, level of skill and experience of the person involved, and other factors. Yew, ever since the british discovered it's use in this context, is considered one of the finest woods for use in a D-shaped (As in a D-like cross-section) longbow, as the lighter sapwood is a natural backing for the heavier, stronger heartwood which gives the bow it's power. This sort of wood does take a considerable amount of experience and skill to manipulate and read properly, so it may not be a good choice for the fledging archer/bowmaker.

However, yew is considered inferior when making what is known as a "flatbow". This means that the back (side of the bow facing away from the archer) and the belly (side of the bow facing towards the archer) of the bow limbs are flat and usually wide, varying anywhere from 1 1/2" to 3" wide.

Osage orange, in contrast, excels when used in a flatbow, especially when the latewood (usually a darker orange hue) is thicker and more abundant than the lighter-colored earlywood. Osage is very durable and resilliant to natural weather conditions, aesthetic abuse, and the like.

Other woods such as hickory, oak, cedar, ash, etc. also make wonderful bows, but the characteristics and behaviors of each wood must be considered when designing a bow, no matter what format (longbow, flatbow, indian-style D-bow, etc.) you decide on.

If you want more information, I highly recommend a book series titled "The Traditional Bowyer's Bible." It's not a step-by-step guide, rather a compilation of knowledge contributed by numerous experts on the subject and put into varying chapters. Other titles like "The Bent Stick" and "The Witchery of Archery" are exceptional choices as well for seeking knowledge on the subject of bowyer. Online resources like poofolkbows.com and the leatherwall are a veritable limitless source of knowledge and input.